Feminist News

U.N. Continues to Deny Taliban Afghan Seat

The international community continues to resist the Taliban's efforts to gain recognition as the official government of Afghanistan. The chairman of the United Nations credentials committee has so far refused to meet with Abdul Hakeem Mujahid, the Taliban's designated ambassador to the U.N. Without the chairman's recommendation, it is virtually impossible that the Taliban will be granted a U.N. seat.

The Taliban is a fundamentalist Islamic group which overthrew Afghanistan's Rabbani government on September 27, 1996, and imposed an end to women's human rights there. For this reason, the Netherlands and other European countries have been reluctant to endorse the Taliban's U.N. membership. Although the U.S. has taken no official position on the matter, women's and human rights groups have pressured government officials not to recognize the Taliban.

"The American government and the United Nations must refuse to recognize the Taliban as a legitimate government in Afghanistan. How can women be safe anywhere if some governments can carry out gender apartheid with impunity? Do not think such fundamentalist terror can only happen in a far off country!" said Feminist Majority President Eleanor Smeal at a July 30 noontime picket.